Partition construction



E. M. FULLER ET AL PARTITION CONSTRUCTION June 26, 1951 eet l .2.

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Patented .I une 26, `1951 PARTITION CONSTRUCTION Earnest M. Fuller,Bronxville, and Charles W. Lund, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Johns-Man ville Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication November 23, 1945, Serial No. 630,300

2 Claims. l

Our invention relates to wall or partition assemblies and moreparticularly to an improved construction which provides for the readysupport oi objects on the wall.

The invention is concerned with wall assem blies employing facing panelsof hard-surfaced materials which do not readily lend themselves to themounting of attachments for the support of shelves, pipes, etc. to becarried exteriorly of the wall. In the construction of laboratories forphysical or chemical work, as well as in many other situations, it isparticularly advantageous to use hard-surfaced wall panels, such asasbestos-cement panels. However, the known Wall constructions includingsuch materials cannot be used to support gas, air and water pipes,shelves and other essential equipment, without additionally drilling orotherwise altering the panels to receive fastening lugs, etc. The needof such additional operations substantially increases the cost ofconstruction and also increases the diiculty of altering the position ofthe equipment or other objectsl once the job is completed.

The principal object of the instant invention is the provision of a wallor partition assembly having means formed integrally therewith forreadily permitting the mounting and dismounting of objects on the wall.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a wall or partitionassembly having relatively rigid and dense facing panels supported onstuds underlying the joints between the panels, the studs includingmeans for alternatively supporting joint concealing beads and bracketsfor mounting objects exteriorly of the wall. In accordance with theinvention, the facing sheets are spaced apart to form an open joint inline At the vertical location on the wall where an object is to bemounted, a supporting member having rearwardly projecting tangs entersbetween the sheets and engages in the recesses. The remainder of thejoint may be closed by bead members having similar tangs engaging in theremaining recesses. At any time the supporting members may be removed orshifted to another location vertically of the wall, or additionalsupporting members may be added.

Our invention will be more fully understood and further objects andadvantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to themore detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the inventionwhich is to follow and to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a Wall or partition in accordancewith the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. l;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic, perspective view illustrating the elements ofthe stud employed in the instant invention;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic, perspective view illustrating the jointclosing members of the instant invention;

Fig. 7 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a portion of theconstruction;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a wall or partitionassembly particularly adapted for use in sub-dividing an enclosedbuilding space into a plurality of smaller rooms such, for example, aslaboratories, offices or the like. The invention finds a particular eldof use in the construction of laboratories and similar work spaces but,as will be understood, may be employed with equal advantage forpartitioning or enclosing other rooms which are to have wall mountedequipment.

The wall includes a plurality of spaced studs I0 located at suitableintervals to underlie joints I2 between adjacent facing panels I4. Thelower ends of the studs are supported in a floor runner i6 and, at theirupper ends, they may be provided with extensions I8 secured to ceilingrunners I9. The extensions are fastened to the studs lll `by bolts 20passed through slots in the extension whereby the extension may beraised or lowered within reasonable limits to fit the particular ceilingheight.

The studs (see particularly Figs. 5, 8 and 9), in their preferredembodiment, include channel members 22 of suitable, relatively lightgauge metal, as conventionally employed in partition wall construction,say, of 20 gauge. The channels are placed back to back and interposedbetween them is a bar or core 24 of relatively heavier metal of thesame, or substantially the same, width and length as the channels and,say, 1A or more in thickness. The several elements are preferably heldin assembled position to form the stud, by welding, although bolts,rivets or other securing means may be used,

The backs or webs of channel members 22 are provided with cut-outs 26 attheir lower ends and bar 24 may have a similar cut-out but preferably,due to its relatively heavy construction, is drilled to provide openings28 of relatively large diameter in line with the cut-outs. Cutouts 26and openings 28 provide passageways for electric wiring, conduits, etc.Bar 24, form.- ing the center section or core of the stud, has cut-outsor'recesses Sil extending inwardly from at least one, but preferablyboth edges, as shown (see particularly Figs. 2, 5 and 9) for a purposeto be hereinafter described. The recesses slant downwardly at an angle,say,` of 45 to the horizontal and are placed at relatively frequentintervals for preferably the height of the bar.

Facing panels lli may be of any suitable type, for example, they may beasbestos-cement panels or panels of other materials which are resistantto corrosion and rough usage. These panels are ordinarily made ofsubstantial lengths, and may extend from the base of the wall to theceiling but, as shown, (see Figs. l and 2) normally will stop at somedistance from the ceiling and filler panels 32 employed to ll in theintervening space. Both panels la and 32 preferably have their edgesbeveled as shown at 32 (see Figs. 3 and The facing panels whichare of awidth substantially equal to the center to center spacing of the studs,less the' thickness of the bar or core 26, are spaced apart at theirjoints i2 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the core orbar Z4 to provide a crack or open joint in alignment with the bar. Thepanels may be secured to the studs in any suitable manner but,preferably for this purpose, connecting means of the kind shown anddescribed in patent to Kellogg, #2,033,100, issued March 3, 1936, areused. Such connecting means are illustrated at 3d and include buttons 36carried by the rear faces of the sheets adjacent their margins and inposition to align with spring lipped keyhole slots formed in the flangesof the channel members 22 of studs li). To mount the panels, they arelifted to a position slightly above their nal position with the heads ofthe buttons engaging in the enlarged section of the keyhole slots andthen slid downwardly into the final position with the buttons sliding onthe spring lips to bring the panels into close engagement with thestuds. Filler panels 32 may be secured in any suitable manner, forexample, by clips engaging behind the panels l. Y

A baseboard dit may be secured to the partition in any manner desiredand the upper end of the partition may be finished by a molding strip i2of selected type secured as by screws extending through the fillerpanels 32 and into the iiange` of ceiling runner le. It will beappreciated that these features o-f the wall form no part of the instantinvention and may be varied as desired.

The stud construction and panel joint arrangement described abovepermits the insertion of brackets or supports at any location orlocations vertically of the wall where it is found desirable to mountinstruments, pipes, shelves, etc., and to close the remainder of thejoints with joint filling strips or beads. In the drawings, thesupporting members, indicated at fit, are shown as carrying brackets 4lfor a series ofpipes L18, such as the air, water and gas lines necessaryfor a laboratory bench or sink. The invention, however, vis .not limitedto the particular bracket structure or its use and it will be understoodthat various types of brackets may be employed for mounting any suitableobjects on the supporting 2,558,428 y fr.

members. Supporting member 46 has a rear wall 52 from which projects aplurality of tangs or prongs 5:3 dimensioned to be received withinrecesses 3d. The tangs are spaced apart a distance equal to the spacingof recesses 3i! whereby members fit may be mounted to overlie the jointat the selected location with tangs entering the recesses. The downwarddirection of tangs 511 and recesses 3c, suitably at an angle of 45 aspreviously mentioned, prevents accidental displacement of the supportingmembers. Members te, which may be made of a single piece of relativelyheavy sheet steel folded into the desired shape, or which may befabricated of separate pieces, may take different forms to accommodatethe selected type of fastener or bracket. The construction shown is ofchannel Yconfiguration with inwardly directed anges 56 defining'a slot5l. The bracket and attaching means (see Figs. 7, 8 and 9) comprise aclip t@ for engagement with the pipe or other object supported, the cliphaving a base "c2 spanning slot 5l and in opposed relation to a washer6d within the channel and also spanning the slot. A bolt 66 binds thebase 2 and washer ed into gripping relationship with flanges 5t.

rj he portions of each joint l2 left uncovered by a supporting memberiii are lled with joint closing members 68. These are preferably made ofrelatively light gauge metal foldedto form an element of a width to beaccommodated within the joint, the element including a fold edge 16 (seeFig. 3) defining an exposed bead and legs or flanges ll. Legs ll haverearwardly and downwardly projecting tangs 'l2 dimensioned and spaced tobe received within recesses 30. The tangs in this instance may be madeshorter than tangs 5d of the supporting members as the only load carriedis that of the beading itself.

The horizontal joints between the main panels IS and the filler panelsi2 may be closed by beading 'ifi of substantially conventional type, asshown in Fig. 4. For uniformity of appearance, wall panels 32 and M arepreferably spaced apart at their joints a distance equal to the spacingbetween the several panels i4, and beading 14 is made of a width toaccord with such spacing.

The construction described above permits objects to be readily mountedat any selected height. All that is required is the removal of thedecorative beading 68 and the substitution of a supporting member d5 ofsuflicient length to accommodate the bracket construction desired. Thus,shelves, pipes and other equipment may be mounted on the wall withoutdifficulty and their positions changed from time to time as the needarises.V The removal or shifting of the objects and their supportingstructure does not leave any unsightly scars. Beading 68 being ofrelatively light gauge steel, can readily be cut to the lengths desiredtoiill in portions of the joints not taken up by the supporting members.

Having thus described our invention in rather full detail, it will beunderstood that these details need Vnot be strictly adhered to but thatvarious changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilledin the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined bythe subjoined claims.

What we claim is:

' Vl. A wall assembly comprising spaced studs, each comprising a coreand flanged elements on opposite sides of the core with their flangesextending at substantially right angles to the core and with the flangesof spaced studs lying in approximately the same plane, said core havinginwardly and downwardly directed, longitudinally spaced recesses, wallpanels carried by said studs with the edges of adjacent panels at thestuds and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thicknessof the core to define an open joint therebetween, means securing thewall panels to the flanges of the studs at opposite sides of the joints,and members structurally and operatively independent of the panelsecuring means extending longitudinally of the joints and having spaceddownwardly and inwardly directed tangs engaging in said recesses, saidmembers providing means for supporting objects exteriorly of saidassembly.

2. A wall assembly comprising spaced studs, each comprising a core andflanged elements on opposite sides of the core with their flanges eX-tending at substantially right angles to the core and with the flangesof spaced studs lying in approximately the same plane, said core havinginwardly and downwardly directed, longitudinally spaced recesses, wallpanels carried by said studs With the edges of adjacent panels at thestuds and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thicknessof the core to denne an open joint therebetween, means securing the wallpanels to the flanges of the studsfat opposite sides ofthe joints,members structurally and operatively independent of the panel-securingmeans extending longitudinally of thefjoints and having spaceddownwardly and inwardlyextending tangs engaging in said recesses,saidvmernbers including bead members for lling the J'Qllis for a portionof tlife length thereof. and a member having securing means forsupporting objects exteriorly of the wall for another portion ofthejoint.

Y. IEIARNES'IT` M. FULLER.

CHARLES W. LUND.

REFERENCES crD The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES Number Name Date 1,676,616 Lowy July 10, 1928 1,949,215McCaig Feb. 27, 1934 2,317,634 Olsen Apr. 27, 1943 g5 2,053,438 Lunkenet al Sept. 8, 1936

